It's official, I'm moving to Wordpress!  www.alandanielson.tv no longer directs people to this site.  I will keep an maintain this site for a while, but all new blog posts from now on will take place at the new Wordpress location.  Please go there now and subscribe to the RSS feed.

One of my greatest passions for small groups is that they learn to be outward or missional.  So in that vein, a couple of weeks ago my online group and I went on an online mission!  This experiment was a little strange, but it was eye-opening too!

Here's what we did:

• Got together for a few minutes to check in with each other and discuss the mission project.
• Left each other to go to Twitter and Facebook (our mission fields)
• We contacted friends and let them know we were praying for them. We tried to DM people if possible.
• We updated Twitter and our Facebook status with "For the next 20-30 minutes I'm going to be praying with and for friends online. If you want me to pray for something specific please let me know
• After our prayer mission we got back together as a group to talk about what we learned.

Here's what I learned:

• One of the richest mission fields in my universe is the online community.
• People WANT to be prayed for regardless of their religious beliefs.
• Most "friendships" online are pretty one-dimensional. When people respond asking for prayer it adds a very real and personal dimension to the relationship.
• Jesus would've had way more unchurched friends than I have.
• Jesus would do this sort of "mission" pretty much every time he logged in.

Here's how the mission has changed me:

First, I spend some dedicated time praying for my online friends once every week.  I've taken this group mission event and made it a part of my own regular routine.  It's greatly rewarding and I'm amazed how many people I'm able to reconnect with in a deeper way.

Second, I'm expanding my network of friends who are not followers of Christ. My first goal is not conversion, but conversation.  I want to be engage people in very real and meaningful spiritual conversations and the online universe is a great place for that to happen.

The bottom line for me is this:  ONLINE SMALL GROUPS ROCK!

Once outwardness has captured your heart and you begin talking it up to the people you lead, you must make it a part of your battle plan.  Too many leaders talk about outwardness but don't develop a good plan that will help their people live it out.  So how do you make it a part of your plan?

So what does all this look like at JourneyChurch.tv?  Here's our summer small group strategy in a nutshell:

• Theme: Live Summer Differently - Rather than studying and praying together, this summer we will serve the community every week.
• Partnerships: We have ministry opportunities set up at housing and appartment additions surrounding our east campus. We'll also have a huge block party at the east campus and groups will be able to serve at the block party.
• Metric: Our goal is to have 90% of our groups complete 5 mission projects each this summer.
• Competition Killer: We're replacing our regular weekly curriculum with weekly 60-minute ministry projects. Groups will be able to get together with little or no planning and follow the instructions in the week's "curriculum" to complete a community ministry activity.

That's a lot of information fast, but hopefully this will give you some great ideas to chew on.  Aim at Mission...aim at outwardness...then you hit something that really matters!! The battle is raging.  Make plans to win it!

To read Outwardness part 1 click here.
To read Outwardness part 2 click here.

The value of outwardness is a must for successful small group ministry. In part 1 of this series I wrote about the first step for developing outwardness in small groups.  You can read part 1 by clicking here.  The second critical step is to talk about outwardness all the time.  Those we lead must hear what is in our hearts and they must hear it often.

Many leaders are frustrated by the inwardness they see in the groups they lead but the only people they tell about it are their peers.  They get together for gripe sessions and bellyache about how inward and selfish their people are.  This is tragic.  Many other leaders use their position to bully the people they lead.  Leaders will use the pulpit, their blogs, newsletters, or the chair they teach from in their small group to brow-beat everyone. They talk about how selfish "we" are and how "we" need to get out of our seats to do something.  Guilt is their primary weapon.  This too is tragic.

It is possible to talk about outwardness with grace and to be inspiring about it.  Leaders who talk effectively about outwardness speak from vision and they tell stories.  They don't gripe and they don't bully...they dream out loud. They'll say things like, "As we go out the number of people we impact will triple over the next year. Neighbors will be blessed, marriages will be changed, people will come to know Jesus, they'll be baptized, they'll reach out to their family, and soon our community will be different. Jesus called us to the greatest privilege ever:  sharing his love with everyone we encounter."

Leaders who effectively promote outwardness also share stories.  They will tell stories verbally, print them in their newsletters, and play videos about them. Stories of outward victories are everywhere. They can be found in your church, online, and on DVD.  Just tell stories of lives that were changed by those who have an outward or missional focus.

"So how much should I talk about this as a leader?" All the time.  Every sermon, newsletter, blog post, small group lesson, and conversation you have should talk about outwardness as often as possible.  The more people hear it the more likely the value of outwardness will eventually be caught. When you're sick of talking about it, then people will start to get it.

Step one is for us, as leaders, to fall on our knees and ask Jesus to overburden us with a desire to see our community changed.  Step two is for us to talk about outwardness.  We've got to dream out loud, share stories, and in general help those we lead believe that reaching people is our greatest desire and passion.

Talk it up leaders.  Talk it up.

I boil these two statements down to two words: addition and subtraction.  Adding something to a car (a driver, gas, a working engine, etc.) can cause it to move.  Likewise, taking something away from a car (blocks in front of the wheels, extra weight, the parking break, etc.) can also help create forward momentum.

While new things and ideas can help start momentum, the dangerous tendency we have at conferences is to hear a good idea and implement it without thinking it through in our church context.  We also suffer from the same ailment when reading books and blogs.  The bottom line is this: good ideas don't necessarily work in every context.  So I'm not going to tell you what my ideas or strategies are.  Instead I'm going to share with you some of my thinking processes from the last couple of days.

Here's the thing about momentum: It's hard get started, but it's worth the hard work because it's also hard to stop once it is started! So ask yourself, what needs to be added and what needs to be taken away to give your ministry some real momentum? Then take the appropriate steps!

In my opinion, the debate about whether or not online groups work is over conclusively.  The question now is "How can we incorporate online groups into our church's regular small group strategy?"  At LifeChurch.tv online groups were part of our strategy, but they aren't currently a part of our strategy at JourneyChurch.tv.  Below are some of the steps we're taking to fully integrate online groups this fall.  We've already taken some of the steps and others are in the works.

• As the ministry leader, start an online group of your own. By doing this you'll learn how to navigate the joys and the challenges that your future online group leaders will experience.
• Think of online groups like every other group. Don't allow yourself to think that online groups are something different, separate, or less-than groups that meet in physical locations.
• Add "online group" as a location category in your small group database (see image 1 below).
• Market online groups to the congregation. Specifically target businesspeople and stay-at-home-moms. The convenience of online groups is especially relevant for them. (see image 2 below for a sample bulletin announcement)
• Give away a few webcams and headsets to the first few online groups that start.
• Create an "online small group tip sheet".  To see the one we've made for JourneyChurch.tv click here (.pdf reader required).

There are countless ways to take advantage of online technology in your group ministry all it takes is some out-of-the-box thinking and the guts to try something new.  If you've got any ideas for integrating online groups into a small group ministry that I've not shared here, by all means leave a comment and help us all out!

To read part 1 of this Online Groups series click here.
To read part 2 of this Online Groups series click here.
To read part 3 of this Online Groups series click here.
To read part 4 of this Online Groups series click here.

Both Harry and Pat have passed away now, but I remember one day in class he stood up and read a list to us.  It wasn't a bucket list (the things he wanted to do before kicking the bucket) rather it was a list of the things he would do differently if he could start life all over again.  You might call it a "Do-Over List".  Yesterday, a friend named Alan Pace at People's Church in Franklin, Tennessee reminded me of this list.  Apparently Harry had shared the same list with the staff at People's church.  Today I'm sharing the list with you.

Harry Piland:  If I had it to do over again:

1. I would spend more time with great men and women of God.
2. I would spend more time with the Lord in prayer and Bible Study.
3. I would spend more time with my family, take a regular day off and take my vacation.
4. I would put people ahead of process and program.
5. I would make love my guideline in building relationships. The greatest force in the world is love. When you meet someone, you build either a bridge or a wall.
6. I would learn the lesson of the towel and use it as a leader.
7. I would seek to maintain personal integrity no matter what!
8. I would lift up evangelism as the priority of the church.
9. I would absolutely build teams.
10. I would take care of my body, mind & soul.
11. I would never give up!
12. I would trust the Father.

There's great news:  until we cross through death's door we have the chance to change...we have the chance to do some things over again. So may we all apply the wise words of this godly man. 

I love and miss you greatly, Harry. Because of your influence and the influence of other men and women like you I'm trying to live in such a way that I have few regrets. Thank you for the investment you made in me. I'll see you later and it will be awesome to catch up!

One of the most common frustrations I hear from small group pastors is, "My Senior Pastor's actions don't really support the groups ministry because my Senior Pastor isn't in a group."

Well now there's no excuse.  In fact, get up right now and have your Senior Pastor read this post.  Go on…its okay…I'll wait.

Great, you're back.  Hi Senior Pastor, I'm glad that you're reading this!  Are you reluctant to get into a small group because people drain you?  Are you concerned about how the people in your group might use things you say against you?  Do you need a place that's truly safe to share your thoughts and feelings without the fear that what you say will be repeated to other parishioners? Then start an online small group.  Gather up some of your best friends, peers, and mentors from anywhere in the world and have an online small group!

Here are seven reasons why an online group is perfect for you!

1. You can meet with people who don't attend your church and won't have to worry about them misinterpreting what you say or gossiping about it.
2. It's a great way to connect with ministry friends who understand your place in life.
3. The technology is accessible.
4. You can have an honest-to-goodness small group experience without leaving your office.
5. Your online group will gives you real credibility when you talk to your church members about their need for Biblical community.
6. You can fit it into your schedule easily!
7. Adding your group to your church database will help your small group pastor meet his metrics!

Okay, so that last one is a stretch.  But being a Senior Pastor, you understand the pressure to come up with 7 points (the Biblical number of completion) rather than stopping at 6.

Seriously though, you as Senior Pastors need Biblical Community as much or more than the people who attend your church.  Talk to your small group pastor about getting your online group started.  Don't wait, your personal spiritual health is far too important for you to put this off. 

To read part 1 of this Online Groups series click here.
To read part 2 of this Online Groups series click here.
To read part 3 of this Online Groups series click here.
To read part 5 of this Online Groups series click here.

Last night I was stumped.  I couldn't think of what to blog about today so I sent out a plea on Twitter for ideas.  Thanks to Joe Donaldson (@secondchair on Twitter) for throwing out the idea that I should write about helping an existing small group ministry move from an inward to an outward focus.  I've written on this subject for SmallGroups.com, spoken on the subject at Willow Creek and Saddleback, and I've taught it on video for BlueFishTV.  Yet I haven't touched it much in my own Blog. DOH!  Anyway, this is a big subject so I'll write about it in several installments over the next few Wednesdays.

Whether you're a small group pastor, coach, leader, apprentice (or whatever term is used in your church) it is absolutely vital that you lead your ministry and your own group to embrace outwardness.  Honestly, I'm not much for the buzz word "missional" (although I couldn't really tell you why), so I prefer to use the term "outwardness" instead.  Regardless what you call it the rest of your ministry will never get an outward focus until you, the leader, get it.  So my first suggestion to individual small group leaders and ministry leaders is for you to develop a heart for outwardness.

The first step to going out is falling down. Outward focus doesn't start with some big missions event.  It begins with a small move from the couch to your knees.  Fall on your knees and ask Jesus to change your heart.  Ask him to break you and give you a longing to see others changed by Jesus when you and those you lead reach out and personally touch them with God's love.

Jesus wept over the people of Jerusalem and then sacrificed everything for them.  We (me included) calously drive passed panhandlers without even looking at them.  We pass elementary schools without considering how we can bring Jesus to the precious children there.  We put accountability software on our computers to protect us from porn but we don't give any thought about demonstrating God's wonderful love to those who are enslaved by it. We talk about the menu for our next small group meeting, but we don't talk about what to do with the leftovers.  We put extra food in the fridge or the trash while there are hungry people throughout our city.  We study eschatology but refuse to think of the actual reality of Hell. 

The first step to going out is falling down.  Fall down and pray that your heart, and the hearts of those you lead will be broken, changed, and awakened by the pain in our world that only Jesus' beautiful, powerful love can heal.

Next time I'll write about the second step.  For now, jut practice step one:  Fall Down.

To read Outwardness part 2 click here.
To read Outwardness part 3 click here.

He said that all over South America churches are starting in homes as small groups.  They do it by giving a follower of Christ a Bible and a list of 5 simple questions.  Next this person is asked to invite friends and family over to read the Bible together and discuss the 5 questions.  Literally hundreds of churches are being started all over the continent every year, and thousands (if not millions) of people are coming to Christ in homes reading the Bible and talking about 5 questions.

Here's the process.

After reading a passage of Scripture together ask:
    1.  What did you like about the passage?
    2.  What did you NOT like about the passage?
    3.  What did you not understand in the passage?
    4.  What did you learn about God in the passage?
    5.  What are you going to do with what you learned?

In the Western countries we often prefer that our small group curriculum come in beautifully printed books with homework and videos taught by church celebrities...I mean "Well Known Bible Teachers". Now keep in mind that I'm one of the guys who has taught some of this high tech, well produced video curriculum, so I'm not being critical of it.  That kind of product plays a key role in our culture because it is relevent. 

What I would like to do though is this:  I challenge small group leaders everywhere to put aside the highly produced stuff every once in a while and try this simple approach.  You may find that these 5 questions become the "go to" curriculum for your small group.  You might also fall in love again with a simple "no-seminary-degree-required" approach to reading and understanding God's Word.

Good leaders listen.  They listen to those they lead.  Good leaders help those they lead listen to God's voice.  It's awesome when someone you lead hears a clear word from God and they are changed by the experience!  It's fun to celebrate with them and then challenge them to follow through on what they've heard.  It's like a drug...for the leader and the follower.

It's easy, as a leader, to get caught up helping those I lead hear from God.  The problem is that I'm often so busy helping others listen to God that I miss what He's saying to me.  Over the last week I've listened to God and I've heard Him speak to me.  His whispers are sweet and powerful and painful and...life-altering.

Let God speak to you this week.  Listen to the sweet, powerful, painful, life-altering sound of His voice...and be changed!  Don't be so busy helping others listen to God that you miss what He's saying to you!

Oh Crud!  I don't have any pictures of the T-shirt because, honestly, after that lobby moment I hated those T-Shirts.

Anyway, I've said hundreds of times, "If you find the right small group, don't join it cuz you'll ruin it." I said it yesterday, in fact, and that made me think of the T-shirt.

It dawned on me that, in truth, we should all risk ruining a small group.  We all need to be in one where we risk letting down our guard, allowing people to see our "real" selves, and adding ourselves, with all our imperfections, to the flaws of a small group.  Some how in the middle of all the mess that each person brings to a group, God shows up and makes something beautiful.

So go ahead, join one, "ruIN1" and let God make beautiful stained glass out of the broken, messy pieces!

I'll be honest, here are three reasons I don't particularly care for accountability:

1.  In the name of "accountability" I've been the victim of legalism and unfair jugement calls.
2.  Absolute transparency is a must and I don't always want people to see the "real" me.
3.  It requires commitment, and commitment is tough.

Here are three reasons I love accountability:

1.  It helps me set and meet short term goals (i.e. Drive the speed limit for one week, read the Bible every day for a month, take my wife on a date night before this weekend, etc.)
2.  It gives me a safe place to be open.  I'm not always comfortable being an open book, but I always feel better after I've been one.
3.  It helps me become a better follower of Jesus.

When accountability is not present in a small group the group will ultimately become a dysfunctional support group.  Practice accountability in your group so you'll all look more like Jesus and less like bad TV.

"Vote for Pants" Napoleon Dynomite

"These aren't the pants you're looking for" Obi Wan Kenobi, Star Wars

"Wait a minute, Doc. Ah... Are you telling me you built a time machine... out of pants? Marty McFly, Back To The Future

"You want pants? What kind of terrorists are you?"  Joseph Takagi, Die Hard

"Mama always said life was like a box a pants, you never know what you're gonna get." Forrest Gump, Forrest Gump

Okay, you get it.  So go on, have a laugh with your group.  It will make some memories with your group and sometimes laughing is the most spiritual thing you can do!

There was another kid I knew named Shane.  Shane rode the bus with Bucky and one day told me that every day Bucky talked on the bus.  WHAT?!?!?  I was blown away!  I didn't understand anything about personality types or group dynamics as a kid, so back then I couldn't come up with a decent guess as to why Bucky wouldn't talk at school, but would talk on the bus.

So here are some theories I've developed over the years that might explain Bucky's unusual behavior:
1.  Bucky was a psychotic serial killer in the making and today he's the inspiration for the Showtime series, "Dexter".
2.  Bucky was passionate about the color yellow so the yellow bus would pull him out of his silence.
3.  Bucky was super-introverted and wouldn't talk unless the group he was with was small enough to make him comfortable.

There may be another explanation of Bucky's behavior, but I think the last one at least holds some merit because so many people dread public speaking.  It's possible that, for Bucky, talking at school felt like a public address, but talking to the two or three kids immediately surrounding him felt safe.

Small Group leaders often ask, "How big is too big for a small group?"  Here's my answer:  There comes a time in every group when the group is growing numerically and someone who used to speak up and share stops. When that happens, they've gone "Bucky".  It's usually someone who is pretty reserved to begin with, and now as the group has grown, they feel more like they are addressing an audience than talking with friends.  According to George Barna the average American's greatest fear is public speaking.

For me the bottom line is this: when someone in your group goes "Bucky", your group is too big.  This means your group could be three people or 20.  The main thing is to be content with the number God has entrusted to you.

So who's your Bucky?  If no one in your group has gone "Bucky", you don't need to worry.  However, if somone in your group has gone "Bucky", it's time for your group to multiply, but that's a whole other blog post alltogether.

*(The names in this story have been changed to protect the innocent, plus Bucky is waaaay cool name.)